Epigyne

Epigyne

It is of special interest to people who study spiders because the exact shape of the epigyne is often the only way to determine the exact species within a genus. The palps of male spiders have a similar importance in determining species.

This is a consequence of the mating habits of spiders which do not include normal copulation by joining the sexual openings of male and female; instead the male deposits his sperm on a specially built little web and sucks it up in his palp, after which he is ready for courtship. The palp must fit the epigyne.